


Found

by Flo_Amelia



Category: DCU (Comics), Young Justice (Cartoon)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-07
Updated: 2019-02-13
Packaged: 2019-10-23 23:56:12
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,038
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17693618
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Flo_Amelia/pseuds/Flo_Amelia
Summary: On a routine mission Superboy and Nightwing run into someone they thought long gone. Dealing with loss, failure and betrayal, Artemis and Dick have to try to fix what was lost.





	1. What was lost

**Author's Note:**

> Hi guys! This is my first Fanfic that I have written and shared. I am not 100% sure where this fic is going but wanted to see what you guys thought so far. Please review and comment. At the minute I am just playing around with some ideas and don't have a complete story outline. Let me know if you are interested in reading more!

Running down the narrow corridor, all Dick could hear was the blaring alarm and the footsteps of his teammates on the concrete floor behind him. So much for a covert op. It was supposed to be quiet. In and out. Simple. Who was he kidding? When had any mission ever been simple?

‘Take a left!’ Shouted Superboy over the alarm. ‘There should be an elevator up ahead.’

As they wound the corner, Dick glanced down at his pocket. The whole mission, all for a USB stick. They didn’t even really know what was on it. All Batman had said was Steele Offices, derelict and abandoned until six months ago, had undergone huge refurbishment, millions of dollars in construction and security, all funded from a mysterious Tres incorporated. It had only taken the league a few hours, following a trail of shell company after shell company to realise further investigation was needed. So here they were; Nightwing, Superboy, Miss M and Robin. All briefed to place bugs in the building and hack the computer systems taking any information they could find. Leave without a trace and surveil until further notice. Well that had all gone to shit. Getting in was easy, they had been able to break in and place the bugs. It had only been when copying the company files that everything seemed to go wrong. With no warning the alarm had activated and with the files in hand the team decided to get out while they still could.

‘What set of that alarm?’ Dick thought. He had seen no sign of any potential triggers as he hacked the computers and he had been sure to bypass all security. ‘What could they be hiding!?’

It was obviously something of great secrecy, to have such sensitive security. But while the alarm had sent the building into shut down, they were yet to see more than a few security guards.  
Dick suddenly stopped- almost sending his teammates crashing into the back of him.

‘Nightwing what’s wrong?’ Robin panted.

‘Somethings not right.’ Said Dick.

Robin glanced Nightwing over searching for anything to explain his behaviour. ‘What is it? Are you hurt?’ Said Miss Martian.

‘We are missing something... something big.’ Dick said staring at each of his team mates. ‘What set that alarm off? It wasn’t us. And where is all the security? This place should be crawling with them and yet we’ve barely come across two!’

‘That’s your problem?! Not enough security.’ Superboy exclaimed. ‘Nightwing let’s just count ourselves lucky and get out of here.’ But, as he pushed past Nightwing towards the elevator, he froze.

‘Superboy?’ Miss Martian reached over touching his arm.

‘I can hear gunshots.’ He said turning to Nightwing. ‘They’re coming from below, about 3 floors down.’

‘Do we investigate?’ Robin asked looking to Nightwing for instruction.

‘Miss M, you and Robin take the intel and head to KF and the bioship. SB, you and I will head down to check out those gunshots. Miss M link us up.’  
Miss Martians eyes glowed green. ‘Telepathic link established’ her voice echoed in their heads.

Nightwing handed over the USB stick and turned to the elevator ‘Guess we’re going down.’

 

As the elevator descended, the gunshots got louder, now even Dick without Superboy’s sensitive hearing, could hear the sporadic crackle of a gun.

‘Who do you thinks shooting?’ Superboy asked aloud.

‘I don’t know. Could be someone’s broken in?’ Replied Dick.

Superboy looked doubtful. ‘How did they manage to get passed us into the basement?’

Dick sighed. ‘I don’t know, but I guess we’ll find out.’

The elevator doors slid open. Dick and Superboy slowly crept out. The corridor was silent and deserted. Stretching out in front of them in either direction, the windowless basement shone red with the alarm light.

‘Which way SB?’ Dick whispered. ‘Do you hear anything?’

Just as the words left his mouth an enormous crash broke the silence. A security guard came flying through a door into the corridor, collided with the wall and lay slumped in a heap. A figure emerged. Tall, with long blonde hair and dressed in loose grey clothes, the woman stood over the unconscious security guard before turning and striding in the opposite direction to the two Superheroes. Glancing at each other, Superboy and Nightwing silently followed. She seemed not to notice them. Nightwing watched the woman carefully. Though badly beaten, she limped confidently ahead of them. In one hand she held a handgun, the other a long shard of glass covered in blood. There was something about her that seemed familiar.

Nightwing spoke though the telepathic link. ‘Nightwing to team, we have eyes on the shooter. Superboy, we’ll try to get the jump on her and take her in for questioning. Miss M, prepare a holding cell in the bioship.’

‘On it.’ She replied. ‘Be careful, both of you.’

The woman had disappeared through a door, and both Dick and Superboy could hear the familiar sound of a fight. They moved quickly and silently towards the door. Two gunshots crackled though the air and the room fell silent.

‘Superboy. On three.’ Nightwing murmured. ‘1. 2..3!’

They burst through the door and froze. The barrel of a gun pointed straight at Nightwing’s forehead. Dick glanced around the room. Two more men dressed in the all black of the security uniform lay bleeding on the ground. Dick turned his eyes on the figure standing before him. She wore a loose grey vest and shorts, both blood stained and torn. The skin visible was covered in a spattering of bruises. Some old and healing fading to a greenish-yellow, others fresh dark purple. She held herself with confidence, stood alert and defensive as if ready for any attack. She was almost a head shorter than Dick, but she held the gun raised pointing straight between his eyes. As he finally looked into the face of the shooter, Dick felt his knees tremble. Two grey eyes stared at his, almost unseeing. He knew those eyes. He had spent countless nights plagued with the memory of those eyes laughing back at him. His own sharp blue eyes, hidden beneath his dynamo mask, raked over the rest of her face. He knew every inch of it, from the frown of her eyebrows to the point of her chin. Though thinner and masked under the rainbow of bruises, Dick knew her with every fibre of his being.

‘Artemis’

The whisper of her name echoed in the silence. How long he had stood staring at her Dick didn’t know. It could have been hours but the sound of his voice broke the spell. A smile split his face and he surged forward, pushing the gun away as if it were a toy and pulled Artemis into his arms. He held her tightly, burying his face in her hair. He couldn’t believe it. She was here. She was alive. The warm splash of tears against his cheeks told Dick he was crying. He didn’t care. Artemis was alive. After almost 3 years, she was back. He laughed and pulled her even closer against his body. She stood unmoving and limp in his embrace. Reluctantly he pulled back to look at her face. She stared blankly past him.

‘Artemis? Artemis it’s me. Its Dick’ he said, gently pushing her hair away from her face.

She said nothing.He turned to Superboy, who’s shock was painted across his face.

‘Nightwing, we need to leave.’ Superboy murmured. ‘I can hear more guards coming’

Dick nodded and bent his head, forcing Artemis to meet his eyes. ‘Artemis. We need to go now. We need to get you out of here and-‘

‘No!’

Artemis pulled herself from Dick. A fierce glare upon her face she took several steps away from Nightwing and Superboy.

‘I can’t leave.’ She whispered. ‘I can’t leave until I find him. I won’t’. 

Shaking her head back and forth Artemis made to turn away, but Dick grabbed her arm. In a flash Artemis lashed out at Dick. With his legs pushed out from under him, Dick fell flat on his back and looked up to see the barrel of a gun pointed at Superboy, who it seemed had moved forward to defend his fallen friend.

‘Artemis, please...’ Dick implored rising slowly from the ground, like you would near a wild animal so as not to startle it.

‘You two need to leave.’ She said her eyes flickering between the two superheroes. ‘It’s not safe.’

Dick shook his head. ‘Not without you’

Superboy nodded in agreement.

‘I have to find him. He has to pay for what he’s done...’ Artemis lowered the gun and backed away slowly.

‘Who?’ Superboy asked. ‘Who are you talking about?’

Artemis ignored him.

‘Artemis.’ Dick reached out for her slowly. ‘We can’t leave you here. Not when we just got you back.’ 

He tried pried the bloody glass from her hand and held onto her. Suddenly the door behind Artemis flew open. Two security guards came charging in, guns raised. Before Nightwing or Superboy could move, Artemis turned and shot both men- one in the shoulder, the other in the leg. They immediately fell to the ground with cries of pain.  
Artemis strode over to the fallen men and kicked them both hard in the face, knocking them out cold. She stood with her back to Nightwing and Superboy. Eyes staring at the two men on the floor. Her whole body shook with each deep breath she took.

‘He killed my mom.’ She said. ‘He used her to get to me. He let them hurt her...and when I wouldn’t do what he wanted...’ 

Dick reached towards Artemis. He has so often imagined finding Artemis alive, but he had never thought he’d find her like this. Hard and cold. Gently he took her arm. Even with his gloves he could feel the slick wetness of blood running down her arm.

‘Artemis I am so, so sorry.’ He said, holding on to her even tighter. ‘But staying here won’t bring your mom back. You’re hurt. Let us help you.’

Artemis turned to face Dick, her grey eyes stared beseechingly into his. ‘You don’t understand.’ A tear fell down her cheek. ‘I did what I had to do to keep her safe. I did so many terrible things, but I couldn’t... I wouldn’t...’ Her eyes burned with rage. ‘They tortured her! I can’t fail her again!’  
She backed away from Dick and Superboy.

‘I’m sorry.’ She whispered, before disappearing though the door.

Nightwing stared after her. He knew that he couldn’t leave Artemis here alone, but the cold detachment in her eyes left him frozen.

‘Nightwing. What do we do now?’ Superboy said. He too looked unsure as how to handle the situation. ‘We can’t leave her. She’ll get herself killed.’


	2. Before- Part 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 2016- 3 years before Artemis' disapearance.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks so much for reading everyone. I wanted to have a little view into Dick and Artemis' relationship pre chapter 1, so here is a little jump back. I will probably do another chapter set 'Before' and then get back to the 'present' story. Thanks so much, please leave a comment if you have any thoughts on the story so far, also if you would be interested in a Dick/Artemis oneshot into how I think she discovered his secret identity?? Hope you enjoy.

Sitting alone in her single dorm room, Artemis groaned loudly and let her head fall to her desk in defeat. Her eyes burned from staring at her computer screen for- she glanced at her watch- four hours. She groaned again. Four hours on this stupid assignment, three thousand words on “Banning the defence of loss of control or diminished responsibility in murder trials” and no closer to finishing. She still had this week’s assigned reading to get though. Why had she let her mother and Dick talk her into a degree in International Criminal Law?! She shook her head in defeat and pushed herself away from her desk. Her back popped in protest as she stretched, and the familiar ache in her shoulders told her it was time for a break. Dinner, a call to her mom and then back to work, she told herself. She was going to finish this assignment if it killed her. Artemis stood up from her chair and shuffled over to her sorry excuse for a kitchen to search for something to eat. 

‘I really need to go shopping.’ She said to her empty fridge, staring unimpressed by the few mouldy carrots, empty jar of mayonnaise and beer that made up the contents. 

‘Well it seems I got here just in time then.’ A voice laughed behind her. 

Artemis turned around, glancing at the intruder. ‘You know I gave you a key for emergencies only.’

Dick smiled at her from his spot leaning against the doorframe. ‘This is an emergency! I can’t exactly let you starve, now can I?’ He took off his backpack and pulled out two Tupperware boxes full of food. 

‘Is that what I think it is?’ Artemis asked, her eyes glued to the food.

‘Well if you think its Alfred’s homemade mushroom risotto and garlic bread…’ Dick laughed as Artemis leapt towards him and practically wrestled the food from his hands. She ripped open the boxes and breathed in the delicious smells deeply. Artemis moaned in pleasure, her eyes almost rolling back into her head. When she opened her eyes, Dick stood across from her his eyes wide and cheeks slightly pink. 

Dick pouted. ‘I’m starting to think that you’re using me for Alfred’s cooking.’ 

‘Oh definitely!’ Artemis smiled, placing the food in the microwave. ‘I am starting to think I should just cut out the middle man and hangout with Alfred directly.’ She looked over at Dick who stood with one hand over his heart in mock hurt.

‘You wound me!’ he said before walking over to the cupboard and pulling out two plates. He gently pushed Artemis out the way with his shoulder, taking over the reheating of their dinner. ‘Here I am saving you from starvation and I don’t even get a thank you!’ He was pouting again, but his eyes shone with amusement. 

Artemis wrapped her arms around him and rested her chin on his shoulder. 

‘Thank you, Dick.’ She said smiling sweetly at him. ‘Tell Alfred I love him and give him a kiss from me.’

‘Do I not get a kiss??’

Artemis laughed and stretched up to place a loud wet kiss on Dicks cheek. He tried to lean away from her, but she held him tight in her arms. All Dick could do was screw up his face in disgust and accept her sloppy kiss of thanks. She pulled away from him, giggling, and took out two beers from the fridge and passed one to Dick, who was wiping his cheek with a dishtowel. Artemis hopped up onto the kitchen counter next to him and watched him take a sip from his cold beer. 

‘So how come you haven’t got any plans this Friday night, Grayson?’ She asked nudging his leg with her foot. 

He raised his eyebrow at her. ‘I have got plans, thank you.’ He replied in indignation. ‘I am having dinner with a good friend, then I thought we could binge watch something on Netflix.’ The microwave beeped loudly, and Dick quickly pulled out the hot food. He swore as the steam burned his fingers.   
‘Hot! Hot! Hot!’ He dropped the food gracelessly onto the counter.

She shook her head at him. ‘I have work to do tonight.’ 

Dick shrugged her off. ‘You work too hard, you need to take a break. Finish whatever you were working on tomorrow.’ 

Artemis rolled her eyes at him but didn’t protest. Spending the night watching crap telly with her favourite bat boy was much more appealing than work. She hopped off the counter to dig out two, relatively clean spoons from the dishrack. She took the plate of mouth-watering food Dick held out to her and followed him to the tiny sofa that sat in her room. He placed his plate on the floor and quickly grabbed Artemis’ laptop from her desk. After dumping it on the badly-put-together Ikea coffee table, Netflix already open, he squeezed next to Artemis on the sofa. They sat flush against each other- shoulder to shoulder, elbow to elbow, thigh to thigh. Artemis ignored him and dug into her dinner. It had been a while since she had, had a true home cooked meal- actually, she realised, with a mouthful of risotto, the last time she had eaten something not of the instant noodle variety had been with Dick too. He has shown up unannounced, much like now, with more leftovers from the Wayne Manor. It probably should have worried her that he seemed to know when her fridge was empty but, with the tasty food in front of her, she couldn’t seem to bring herself to care. 

‘What d’you fancy watching?’ The man in question asked, around a mouth full of garlic bread. 

Artemis looked at him in both amusement and mild disgust. ‘Whatever you want.’ She said, more interested in her plate than anything else. ‘Just not that weird stalker program you made me watch last time!’ 

‘Aww was little Artemis scared by the creepy stalker??’ Dick mocked. ‘Here I thought nothing scared the archery-badass vigilante!’ He yelped then snickered as she dug her elbow into his side. 

‘I wasn’t scared.’ She scowled at him. ‘It was just too stupid and wasn’t realistic, I mean who doesn’t have a password on their phones these days!’ 

‘Alright, alright’ Dick appeased. ‘We could watch that scary ghost show. Let you prove to me you aren’t a big scaredy-cat!’ Dick only laughed at Artemis’ glare. 

‘Keep it up Boy Blunder and you’ll find yourself having to eat though a straw.’

 

The empty plates sat forgotten in a pile on the floor. The show they had been watching had long finished, but Artemis and Dick hadn’t noticed. Both enjoying the others presence too much. Artemis lounged on the sofa as much as the small space would allow, her feet over the arm and her head in Dick lap. Though he had initially kicked up a fuss about her laying all over him, Dick was quite happy with the current seating arrangement. He played with her long blonde hair as she ranted about her lectures and assignments. 

‘I just don’t understand how they think we have the time, y’know?! I mean even if it wasn’t for missions with the team, I don’t think I’d have time to do all my work, plus the assigned reading, plus the extra reading they expect, as well as eat, sleep and shower!’ She glared up at the ceiling as if it was personally responsible for her busy schedule. 

Dicks eyebrows looked down at her in mild concern. ‘I could always have a word with Kaldur about reducing your missions?’ Even to his own ears, Dick sounded reluctant. It wasn’t that he didn’t want what was best for Artemis- of course he did. It was just that the idea of Artemis not being a part of the team, it… well Dick didn’t want to think about it. 

‘Don’t be silly!’ Artemis said, hitting him lightly in the chest with the back of her hand. ‘The team is the only thing that keeps me sane.’ 

‘Hey! What about me?! Does my friendship mean so little?’ Dick said trying to sound offended, but the relived smile on his face betrayed him. 

‘You are the one driving me insane, more often than not.’ She replied, not at all buying his act. 

Dick bent his body over her, so that their faces were a breath apart. ‘You love me anyway.’ He said before placing sloppy kisses across her forehead and cheeks. 

Artemis wiggled away, trying to escape him. ‘Gross! You have garlic breath!’ She regretted pointing that out straight away, as a mischievous and almost evil glint in his eyes appeared. She knew what he was going to do immediately and started to shimmy out of his lap, but he was too quick and too strong. He held on to her tightly and blew his hot garlicy breath all over her face. His manic snicker filled her ears, as she squealed and tried to hide beneath her arms. She eventually got an arm free from his grip and began to tickle him mercilessly. It was his turn to squeal and try to escape. Artemis’ pathetically small sofa wasn’t built for so much wiggling and they both fell onto the floor in a heap. 

Dick, who lay atop Artemis, had- even whilst distracted by Artemis’ sharp fingers digging into his ribs- cradled her head in his hands to save her from banging it against the wood floor. He held his weight off her and looked down at her. She seemed surprised to find herself on the floor beneath Dick, but upon meeting his gaze broke out in hysterical laughter. Dick watched her giggle. He loved seeing her like this. So free and open with her emotions. He could still remember in the first year he had met Artemis, how guarded and closed off she had been. Though, he supposed, he hadn’t been all that much better. Sure, he had been friends with his teammates- he and Wally were best friends- but being raised by the Batman had left his mark. Hiding his identity from those he’d trusted most was the hardest thing he’d ever done. It had been a relief when Artemis had figured it out. While it had only been a matter of time, with them attending the same high school, even Bruce was impressed at how quick she had caught on. He was even more impressed with how closely she kept the secret, never once betraying their trust. But that was Artemis, loyal though and though. 

A sharp tap on the forehead told Dick he’d been staring, lost in memories too long. 

‘Daydreaming there Wonderbread?’ Artemis asked, looking perfectly comfortable cradled in his arms. 

‘I was just wondering when you were going to repay the favour and cook me dinner. This friendship is feeling awfully one sided.’ He rolled off her and lay next to her, his eyes turned to the ceiling. 

‘I’ll cook for you, when you learn to take chilli like the tough guy you’re supposed to be and not a whimp.’ She had her face turned towards Dick, smiling at him evilly. 

Dick crossed his arms over his chest. ‘Just because I am not a masochist and don’t enjoy having my mouth set on fire like you, doesn’t make me any less tough.’ 

‘Well fine.’ Artemis rolled onto her front and looked down at Dick. ‘If you want me to cook for you, you will need to do something first.’ 

Dick shook his head. ‘That’s not how paying back favours works, you know.’ 

Artemis scoffed. ‘Oh please, if you didn’t need to bring me food, you’d find some other excuse to come over here so often. Admit it Grayson, you find me irresistible!’ She fluttered her eyelashes at him. Somehow even her eyelashes dripped in sarcasm. ‘And anyway, Alfred does all the cooking. You, my friend, are just the delivery boy.’ 

‘If I were a delivery boy, I’d get paid.’ He refuted. 

‘You do.’ She said. ‘You get paid with the pleasure of my company.’

Dick tried to interrupt, but Artemis just spoke loudly over his grumbles. ‘And if you want me to cook for you, you need to send off your application for the Police Academy.’ She smiled looking very proud of terms.

Artemis and Alfred had been trying to convince Dick to apply to the Police Academy for weeks now. Both had their own way of going about it. Alfred tried to be subtle- Dick kept finding application forms around the manor in all sorts of places. On his desk, under his pillow. Even once in his sandwich! Artemis had a different approach. Bribery and in her more extreme moments flat out threats. She had even tried to force him to complete the application, holding him at arrow point. So, it didn’t surprise Dick that she would bring it up now. It did surprise him that she wasn’t threatening him with bodily harm. 

‘You really aren’t going to let this go.’ He huffed, folding his arms over his chest.

‘Never!’ She smiled. ‘You would be an amazing police officer and I know how much you want it.’ 

He did want it. He wanted it bad. But he also loved being Nightwing and wasn’t sure how he could be both. 

‘And besides’ Artemis added, smiling coyly, ‘Officer Grayson sounds hot!’


End file.
